Nemesia plant named ‘Wesnerasp’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Nemesia  plant named ‘Wesnerasp’, characterized by its compact, upright and uniformly mounded growth habit; freely branching and flowering plant habit; durable dark green-colored leaves; dark and light red purple-colored flowers; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Nemesia hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Wesnerasp’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Nemesia,botanically known as Nemesia hybrida and hereinafter referred to by thename ‘Wesnerasp’.

The new Nemesia is a product of a planned breeding program conducted bythe Inventor in Südlohn, Germany. The objective of the breeding programis to create new compact Nemesia cultivars with uniform plant habit andattractive flower coloration.

The new Nemesia originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventorin 2004 in Südlohn, Germany of a proprietary selection of Nemesiahybrida identified as code number 04P009, not patented, as the female,or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Nemesia hybridaidentified as code number 04P087, not patented, as the male, or pollen,parent. The new Nemesia was discovered and selected by the Inventor as asingle flowering plant within the progeny of the statedcross-pollination in a controlled environment in Südlohn, Germany in2005.

Asexual reproduction of the new Nemesia by vegetative cuttings in acontrolled environment in Südlohn, Germany since 2005, has shown thatthe unique features of this new Nemesia are stable and reproduced trueto type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar Wesnerasp has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment and cultural practices such as temperature,daylength and light intensity without, however, any variance ingenotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Wesnerasp’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Wesnerasp’ as a new and distinct cultivar ofNemesia:

-   -   1. Compact, upright and uniformly mounded growth habit.    -   2. Freely branching and flowering plant habit.    -   3. Durable dark green-colored leaves.    -   4. Dark and light red purple-colored flowers.    -   5. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Nemesia differ from plants of the female parentselection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Nemesia are not as upright as plants of the        female parent selection.    -   2. Plants of the new Nemesia are more vigorous than plants of        the female parent selection.    -   3. Plants of the new Nemesia have stronger lateral branches than        plants of the female parent selection.    -   4. Plants of the new Nemesia and the female parent selection        differ in flower color as plants of the female parent selection        have creamy white-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Nemesia differ from plants of the male parentselection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Nemesia are more compact than plants of the        male parent selection.    -   2. Plants of the new Nemesia have larger leaves than plants of        the male parent selection.    -   3. Plants of the new Nemesia have larger and more durable leaves        than plants of the male parent selection.    -   4. Plants of the new Nemesia have smaller flowers than plants of        the male parent selection.

Plants of the new Nemesia can be compared to plants of the cultivarNemhapri, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 18,108. In side-by-sidecomparisons conducted by the Inventor in Südlohn, Germany, plants of thenew Nemesia differed from plants of the cultivar Nemhapri in thefollowing characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Nemesia were larger than plants of the        cultivar Nemhapri.    -   2. Plants of the new Nemesia had longer and stronger lateral        branches than plants of the cultivar Nemhapri.    -   3. Plants of the new Nemesia had smaller flowers than plants of        the cultivar Nemhapri.    -   4. Plants of the new Nemesia and the cultivar Nemhapri differed        in flower color as plants of the cultivar Nemhapri had pink and        orange-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Nemesia can be compared to plants of the cultivarInuppink, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 17,472. In side-by-sidecomparisons conducted by the Inventor in Südlohn, Germany, plants of thenew Nemesia differed from plants of the cultivar Inuppink in thefollowing characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Nemesia were not as upright as plants of        the cultivar Inuppink.    -   2. Plants of the new Nemesia had longer and thicker lateral        branches than plants of the cultivar Inuppink.    -   3. Plants of the new Nemesia had longer leaves than plants of        the cultivar Inuppink.    -   4. Plants of the new Nemesia had longer and narrower sepals than        plants of the cultivar Inuppink.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearanceof the new Nemesia, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Nemesia. The photograph comprises a side perspective view of atypical flowering plant of ‘Wesnerasp’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and following observations, measurementsand values describe plants grown in Südlohn, Germany, under commercialpractice during the summer in a glass-covered greenhouse with daytemperatures ranging from 20° C. to 25° C., night temperatures rangingfrom 16° C. to 18° C., and light levels ranging from 3,000 lux to 50,000lux. Rooted young plants were grown for about 20 weeks when thephotograph and description were taken. In the following description,color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society ColourChart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionarysignificance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Nemesia hybrida cultivar Wesnerasp.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Nemesia            hybrida identified as code number 04P009, not patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of Nemesia            hybrida identified as code number 04P087, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 10 to 14 days at            temperatures of 20° C.        -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 16 to 18 days at            temperatures of 20° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 21 to 24            days at temperatures of 20° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 24 to 26            days at temperatures of 20° C.        -   Root description.—Fibrous; color, close to 158A.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; moderately dense to dense.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Compact, upright and uniformly            mounded growth habit; plants roughly spherical. Freely            branching with two lateral branches potentially forming at            every node. Vigorous growth habit.        -   Plant height.—About 25 cm.        -   Plant diameter.—About 50 cm.-   Lateral branch description:    -   -   Length. —About 27.2 cm.        -   Diameter. —About 2.5 mm.        -   Internode length.—About 3.25 cm.        -   Strength.—Strong; flexible.        -   Aspect.—Upright to somewhat outwardly spreading.        -   Texture.—Smooth, glabrous.        -   Color.—146B flushed with close to 187A.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple; sessile.        -   Length.—About 5.4 cm.        -   Width.—About 2.2 cm.        -   Shape.—Lanceolate to ovate.        -   Apex.—Acute.        -   Base.—Attenuate.        -   Margin.—Serrate.        -   Texture, upper and lower surface.—Smooth, glabrous.        -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate; arcuate.        -   Color.—Developing foliage, upper surface: 146A. Developing            foliage, lower surface: 146B. Fully expanded foliage, upper            surface: 146A flushed with 183A; venation, 146A. Fully            expanded foliage, lower surface: 146A to 146B; venation,            close to 146A to 146B.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower arrangement and habit.—Zygomorphic solitary flowers            arranged on terminal racemes; flowering acropetally towards            the apex. Flowers bilabiate. Flowers face mostly outwardly.            Flowers not persistent. Freely flowering habit with about 17            to 24 flowers and flower buds per raceme.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Natural flowering season.—In Germany, plants flower from            spring to fall; flowering continuous during this period.            Flowers last about five to seven days on the plant.        -   Flower diameter.—About 2.2 cm.        -   Flower depth.—About 1.3 cm.        -   Throat diameter.—About 9.3 mm.        -   Tube length.—About 1 cm.        -   Tube diameter, at base of flower.—About 6.6 mm.        -   Flower buds.—Shape: Ovoid. Length: About 9 mm. Diameter:            About 4.8 mm. Color: 145B to 145D; faint venation, 71A.        -   Petals.—Arrangement: Five modified petals; four upper petals            fused forming an upright lobed and arched banner lip; lower            petal modified into a larger lip with convex oval            protuberance which serves as a pollinator nectar guide and            landing platform. Shape: Upper lip: Oblong. Lower lip:            Spatulate. Apex: Upper lip: Rounded. Lower lip: Emarginate.            Margin: Upper lip: Entire. Lower lip: Slightly undulate.            Length: Upper lip: About 1.2 cm. Lower lip: About 1.3 cm.            Width: Upper lip: About 8 mm. Lower lip: About 2.3 cm.            Texture, upper and lower lips, upper and lower surfaces:            Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper and lower lips lobes: When            opening, upper surface: Upper lip, 61B to 61C; lower lip,            155D; protuberance, 63A to 63B and 28B; nectar guides, 77A.            When opening, lower surface: Upper lip, 58A; lower lip, 63B.            Fully opened, upper surface: Upper lip, 61B; lower lip, 63B            to 63D; protuberance, 60A and N30B to N30C; nectar guides,            77A. Color becoming closer to 60B to 60D with development.            Fully opened, lower surface: Upper lip, 59B; lower lip, 59C.            Color, tube: Upper lip, 158C; lower lip, 161C; venation,            N77A. Color, throat: Upper lip, 157A; lower lip, N172B to            N172B to N172C.        -   Sepals.—Arrangement: Calyx star-shaped with five sepals            fused at the base. Shape: Acicular. Apex: Acute. Margin:            Entire. Length: About 5.5 mm. Width: About 1.2 mm. Texture,            upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper and lower            surfaces: 147B.        -   Pedicels.—Length: About 1.7 cm. Diameter: About 1 mm.            Strength: Moderately strong; flexible. Texture: Pubescent.            Color: 146B.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity/arrangement: Four per            flower. Filament color: 145D. Anther shape: Reniform. Anther            length: About 1.5 mm. Anther diameter: About 1.3 mm. Anther            color: 11A. Pollen amount: Abundant. Pollen color: 12A.            Pistils: Quantity: One per flower. Pistil length: About            2.5 mm. Style length: Less than 1 mm. Style color: 145B.            Stigma shape: Ovate. Stigma color: 155D. Ovary color: 145A.        -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit development have not been            observed on plants of the new Nemesia.-   Pathogen/pest resistance: Plants of the new Nemesia have not been    observed to be resistant to pests and pathogens common to Nemesia.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Nemesia have been observed to    tolerate wind and rain and have good garden performance.-   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Nemesia have been observed    to tolerate temperatures from about 5° C. to about 30° C.

1. A new and distinct Nemesia plant named ‘Wesnerasp’ as illustrated anddescribed.